


It's Been a Long, Long Time

by Ithildin



Series: Echoes the Sea [66]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Highlander: The Series, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Betrayal, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Spoilers, Comrades in Arms, Female Friendship, Flashbacks, Friendship, Gen, Hydra (Marvel), Inspired by a Movie, Male-Female Friendship, Memories, Non Canonical Immortal, SHIELD, Sacrifice, Science Bros, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-18
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-19 19:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1481833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithildin/pseuds/Ithildin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Charlotte, HYDRA is a nightmare from her past, but that nightmare is about to take form once again, very much in the present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so spoilers abound! 
> 
> If you're new to the series, a few things you should probably know: 
> 
> My Nick Fury is the one from the comics who took the Infinity Formula. And honestly, there was nothing in the movie that absolutely Jossed that, so just sort of squint and move on :D
> 
> I don't write these stories in any sort of chronological order, so chances are I'll refer to something I haven't actually written yet. When I do, I try to give some background on the event. 
> 
> Most of the references to Loki are covered in my story _[White As Snow, Red As Blood](http://archiveofourown.org/works/308287)_
> 
> There's a cheat sheet on this arc of the series [here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/ets_avengersarc/profile).

Prologue 

**London, December 1945**

_"Thank you."_

_"You're welcome." He handed her the gin and tonic, putting his whisky down on the dark wood table. Sitting across from her, Nick leaned back in his chair. "So this is what victory feels like."_

_"Apparently, though all I feel is tired."_

_Raising his glass in a toast, Nick said, "To us."_

_Charlotte smiled, mirroring his gesture. "To peace."_

_"Yeah, sure, that." He flashed a grin at her look of disapproval. "Fine; to peace."_

_Clinking her glass against his, she said, "Better."_

_A song, playing on the radio in the corner, fought to be heard over the din of the crowded pub._

Kiss me once, then kiss me twice  
Then kiss me once again  
It's been a long, long time  
Haven't felt like this, my dear  
Since I can't remember when  
It's been a long, long time

_"It has been a long time," Charlotte said softly, looking down into her glass. 1940, and the dinner party where she'd been approached by Colonel Phillips, commander of the SSR, seemed like a century and lifetime ago._

_"Too long," he agreed. "A part of me doesn’t really believe it's over."_

_"But you're going home tomorrow."_

_"Home." Nick paused, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. "Not sure I remember what that is."_

_Laying her hand on his, she smiled. "It'll come back to you."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise."_

>>>>>

**Alexandria, Virginia, Present Day**

"Charlotte," Nick Fury repeated. "Where'd you go?" 

She shook off the memories that had momentarily overwhelmed her. "I like the original version best," she said, waving a hand at the speaker above them, Louis Armstrong's cover of 'It's Been A Long, Long Time' issuing from it. 

"Me too."

Their eyes locked, remembering a time when the song had been new, and they'd been to hell and back. 

She laid her hand over his. "I'm glad you're still here, Nicholas, to remember with me." 

During World War Two, Charlotte had been recruited into the SSR, one of several Immortals called upon to counter the Immortals that served the Reich…and HYDRA. Back then, the current director of SHIELD had been Sergeant Nick Fury, and he had led their team. Not long after the war ended, he had been injected with the Infinity Formula, which had nearly halted aging and had made him more resistant to injury and disease. 

"I am too; especially right now."

Taking a sip of her wine, she looked at her old compatriot thoughtfully. "What's wrong?" After having not seen Nick for over ten years, they now saw one another frequently, although usually in her capacity as a consultant to SHIELD. When he'd called, asking her to meet him at Grape + Bean in Old Town, there had been an underlying note of strain in his voice that hadn't been there the last time they'd met. 

"I don't know," he said simply. "I'm looking into some things. We'll see where it goes." He squeezed her hand. "I just wanted to see you face to face, to—"

When he didn't continue, she prompted, "To what, Nicholas?"

"Maybe to say I'm sorry. Sorry for pressuring you to come back, sorry for drawing you back into a world you left behind seventy years ago."

"Nicholas, you didn't force me to do anything, it was my choice."

"You keep telling yourself that." He waved away her objections. "Charlotte, I know you better than almost anyone. I played on our past, on your sense of loyalty and patriotism. I needed you, and I did what I had to to get you."

"Well, when you put it like that," she said dryly. "Though playing on the patriotism of a woman who fought in the Revolutionary War is a bit of a cheat, don't you think?" 

"You were probably here when Alexandria was new."

"I am not that old," she protested. "Though I do recall visiting in 1793, or maybe it was 95." Returning to the topic at hand, she smiled, saying, "If you want me to be angry about you manipulating me, Nicholas, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I know you pretty well too, you know."

"Are you trying to tell me you knew I was playing you?" 

"What do you think?"

"Now? Hell if I know." He picked up his wine glass, taking a drink. "Not bad."

"I think it could use another year, but no, it's not bad."

"Wine snob," he accused good-naturedly. 

"Occupational hazard." She winked. 

"I suppose it would be." He took another swallow of his wine. "How long are you in town for this time?"

Charlotte lived part time in Virginia with Methos, who was working as a physician for SHIELD at their headquarters, the Triskelion. She split her time between here, and her winery in San Luis Obispo, along with a great deal of travel for Stark Industries, where she headed up the company's charitable division. 

"Just a few more days; shopping with Natasha tomorrow, and then I'm going to visit Peggy Carter on Wednesday." Tasha was taking her shoe and weapon shopping. The SHIELD agent had decreed that it was time Charlotte's favoured arsenal be upgraded to the 21st century, and had been immune to any arguments Charlotte had to the contrary. And while they were out and about, new shoes were never a bad idea. 

"How is Peggy?"

"Some days are better than others. But I can be whatever Charlotte she needs me to be: the old friend she's known for 75 years, or the comrade and fellow agent from the war." 

"I know it must be hard on you, seeing her like that."

Her eyes were sad. "It's harder on Steve. Sometimes, we visit her together. After we leave…well, he needs a friend too; someone who understands, who remembers."

He nodded, sympathizing. "Then where are you off to? Back to California?" 

She shook her head. "I'm headed to Manhattan on Stark Industries business."

"Is that what you call it? Business?"

"The charitable division keeps me very busy," she stated. 

"Sure it does." The skepticism in his voice was palpable. 

"I don't think I like what you're implying," she said sharply. "Whatever—"

He cut her off. "Forget I said anything."

She eyed him suspiciously. Did he somehow know about the tests that Tony and Bruce had been running on her and a few select Immortals from her and Methos' circle, to try to build on Loki's experiments when Methos and Duncan had been his prisoners? "Nicholas, I don't know what you think you know—" 

"Charlotte—" he sighed, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders "—Charlotte, I'm sorry. I don't want to know, and I shouldn't have said anything. Just keep Stark, the people you trust, close. Let them watch your back, okay?" 

"And who's going to watch yours, Nicholas?"

"I've got it covered."

"Uh huh." Now it was her turn to sound doubtful.

"Have a little faith, okay?" He smiled crookedly.

"I have more than a little." She reached out, grasping his wrist. "If you ever need me—"

"I know."

"Just make sure you do."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter One

**R & D Labs, Stark Tower, Manhattan,**

"I don't like it, Birdie." Tony Stark slapped the counter with his hand to emphasize his unhappiness with Charlotte's plan. 

"I know you don't," Charlotte said soothingly, squeezing her friend's shoulder. "But this gem changes things." She held out a pale lavender faceted stone in her palm, about the size of a tennis ball. "Thor said it can help me to focus my power, to control it. I can't do that if I'm out cold." Thor had visited her after his return to Earth to inform her of Loki's death, and the death of his mother, Frigga. He had given her the Asgardian gem, explaining that it had been Frigga's, and that it was a tool used to help Asgardian children as they began to learn the various 'magical' arts. 

"Tell her, Bruce. Tell her that wasn't what we agreed to!" Tony waved a hand at Bruce Banner, who stood on the other side of the counter. 

"Tony—" Charlotte began.

"No!" Tony cut her off.

"Enough!" Bruce held his hands up, silencing the two friends. "Both of you, to your corners!" 

Charlotte scowled and Tony muttered, but both of them did as they were told. 

"That's better." Bruce pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Now, Charlotte, I think you understand that Tony can't bring himself to hurt you, no matter how valid your arguments are, right?" She nodded warily. "And Tony, you know how important this is to Charlotte, to all the Immortals in the study. It could mean the difference between them being used as weapons in the hands of others, or being able to defend themselves."

"Fine!" Tony crossed his arms, looking truculent. 

"I suggest a compromise."

"And that would be?" Charlotte asked.

"You need to be awake when your body heals a wound, but Tony can't do that, knowing the pain it would cause you."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Tony said under his breath. 

"For God's sake, Tony, let the man say his piece!" 

"Thank you, Charlotte." Bruce smiled. "I may be Captain Obvious, but what the genius over there seems to be missing, is that there's a third option—a local anesthetic to the areas affected—you both get what you want."

"Works for me," Charlotte said. She truly appreciated the concern Tony and Bruce had for her well-being, but at the same time, it frustrated her. What was a little pain compared to the knowledge she might gain? In the centuries she had lived, pain had been no stranger, not least, what she had suffered at the hands of HYDRA as a POW during World War Two. However, her friends would protect her no matter her objections, so acceptance was the only path left to her. She raised an eyebrow, looking up at Tony. "How about you?"

"Does it matter?" 

"Tony," she said warningly, not in the mood for pouty genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

He threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! We'll do it your way." The 'just like always' that followed was barely vocalized, but Charlotte glared, and Tony shrugged, looking unrepentant.

"Why do I feel like I'm running a daycare?" Bruce asked no one in particular. 

Charlotte began to laugh, Tony joining in. Then she sighed. "Sorry I'm on edge lately. I just—" she stopped. "I guess I just want to get on with it. Ever since Loki held me prisoner, I've felt vulnerable; even though he's dead, he still haunts me. And we all know he wasn't the only threat out there."

"We'll figure this out," Bruce promised.

Tony frowned, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I'm sorry, Birdie, sorry we aren't farther along on Project Tortuga. That's my fault."

"Tony, no! No, it's not. Pepper needed to be your priority, and then you had open heart surgery." She brushed a fingertip across his chest where the Arc Reactor had been. "Don't mind me. I think my meeting with Nicholas a few weeks back spooked me."

"Well, he is a spooky kinda guy," Tony snarked. He grasped her shoulders. "It's going to be fine."

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Even as the words passed her lips, she knew that was a lie.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>O

Notes: The Harry James version of 'It's Been a Long, Long Time' is what's playing in Steve's apartment just before Nick is shot. It's one of my favourite's from that era, and I realized that most of the stories I've written that feature Nick Fury have had forties songs as the title. This one really seemed to fit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may be wondering at 'Project Tortuga'. For a little background: [Obi Wan Tony, You're My Only Hope](http://archiveofourown.org/works/484759), and [Project Tortuga](http://archiveofourown.org/works/489109).


	2. Chapter 2

**Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland**

"They need to take him," Maria Hill said quietly.

Natasha Romanoff nodded, not really seeming to hear what Hill had said. Reaching out a hesitant hand, she touched Nick Fury's forehead. The SHIELD director's body was on a gurney, partly covered with a sheet, the gunshot wounds that had killed him stark on his chest. 

"I'm sorry," Methos said, his voice gentle, as he entered the room. He was still dressed in surgical scrubs stained with Fury's blood. Stopping to stand next to Agent Hill, he shook his head, extending his hand across the gurney to where Natasha stood. "I did everything I could."

From behind Natasha, Steve Rogers said, "We know you did, Doctor Adamson." He shook his head. "I was there, saw the damage…." He fell silent.

Natasha finally looked up, eyes dark with grief. "Does she know yet?"

Methos swallowed, not needing a name to know who 'she' was. "No, not yet."

"She's in Manhattan, with Stark." It wasn't a question. "Charlotte needs to be told. Her and Nick…." She put her hands on her hips. "They fought a war together. She deserves to hear the news from a friend, not from agents showing up to debrief her."

"And she will," Methos said reassuringly. "As soon as I wrap up here, I'll call her."

Natasha shook her head sharply. "I'll tell her."

Methos looked at Hill, who shrugged slightly. "As long as Agent Hill has no objections?"

"No, none," Maria answered. 

"Okay, Tasha, if that's what you want, then you can break the news to Charlotte. You're right, sooner is better than later." Methos looked at Steve. "We need to take Nick now."

"Come on, Tasha," Steve said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay." She looked down at Fury one more time. "Let's go."

Methos pulled the sheet over the body as the two agents left the room. "Charlotte's going to kill me."

"It's better this way," Hill said firmly. "Her grief will be genuine; no one keeping tabs will doubt it."

"You're more than welcome to be the one to tell her that," Methos replied acerbically. 

"She's an old hand at this, Doctor, she'll understand."

Methos just grimaced, grasping the gurney. "Come on then, let's get this show on the road."

====================O====================

**Stark Tower, Manhattan**

Charlotte slumped in her chair, looking dejectedly at the Asgardian crystal in her hand; hours of experiments, and there hadn't even been a flicker. She'd wanted to keep trying, but Tony and Bruce had overridden her. Tony had reached his limit on seeing her repeatedly sliced open, and Bruce was concerned she'd lost too much blood to focus properly. She hadn't really argued, because Bruce was right, not that she'd admit it. She was feeling extremely light headed. And while all the wounds had healed fully, the blood loss would take a bit longer to recover from.

"It was only the first round," Bruce said. "We just need to give it time." He handed her a glass of orange juice, which she accepted gratefully. 

Tony looked frustrated at their lack of progress. "You have been practicing with that thing, right?" He pointed at the lavender crystal. 

Finishing her juice, she nodded, placing the empty glass on the table next to her. "Yes, of course I have." Sighing, she wrapped her hand around the uncooperative gem. "I don't know. Jack always said I didn't believe in anything I couldn't see with my own eyes. He may have been right." Truth be told, she hadn't really believed half her late husband's tall tales until long after his death.

"But you controlled Loki's mirror when he held you captive," Tony reminded her.

"I know! But I had no memories of who I was. It could be that because I didn't know it should be impossible was how I could." Feeling wholly discouraged, she sighed. "Maybe Loki was wrong about Immortals being able to control our Quickening, our life force." 

"I think this is where I tell you to stretch out with your feelings, feel the Force flowing through you." Tony waggled his fingers at her, flashing a crooked smile. 

"Ha ha, very funny." She rolled her eyes.

Bruce looked thoughtful. "You know, I just thought of something." Tony and Charlotte looked at him expectantly. Fighting back a grin, he said, "If you're Luke, and Tony's Kenobi, then I'm Han Solo." 

Tony snorted, making a face. "In what universe? Han Solo, as if. With your hair and fashion sense? Not a chance."

"There's nothing wrong with my hair!" Bruce protested, smoothing down recalcitrant strands with his hand. 

Charlotte had a pained look on her face, choking back the laughter that threatened to overwhelm her. "Well, you know, the…errr….unkempt look is really in fashion these days, Tony." A giggle escaped and Bruce shot her an accusing look. 

"Yeah, Bruce Banner, fashion icon," Tony said derisively. 

Charlotte's cellphone began to play 'Dance of the Swans'. Picking it up, she walked a little away from the two men, who were now bickering over which Star Wars character Bruce was. Grinning, she slid her thumb over accept. "Tasha, what's up?"

"There's no easy way to tell you this," Tasha began.

The smile on Charlotte's face slipped away. "Matthew?" She couldn't stop the note of fear in her voice. Had something happened to Methos? 

"No!" Tasha replied instantly. "He's fine. But, Charlotte…." Her voice broke, and Charlotte felt as if her heart had stopped. "It's Fury. He's dead, Nick is dead." There was so much raw grief in those few words that it was physically painful.

"How?" Had she actually asked? She wasn't sure. She must have, because Tasha was answering, but Charlotte couldn't hear the words over the roar in her ears. Tony was on his knees next to her, taking the phone from her hand. On his knees? Then she realized that was because she was sitting on the floor, but she couldn't remember how she'd got there. 

From far away, she could hear Tony's voice, random snatches of sound. "Assassination? Any suspects? If you need anything. Okay, I will. I'll tell her. Tasha, I'm sorry."

Bruce was helping her to her feet, walking her over to the sofa, making her sit back. She closed her eyes as Bruce left her. At the other end of the room, she could hear Tony's voice again, this time, filling Bruce in. 

Nicholas couldn't be dead. This wasn't right, this shouldn't have happened. He'd survived World War Two; nothing that the Nazis or HYDRA had thrown at him, none of it had been enough to kill him. They'd had a deal….

 **Marseille, France, August 1944 ~ Operation Dragoon**

_"Nicholas!" Charlotte pushed through the crowd of French troops. "Nicholas, you're alive!" Reaching her quarry, she threw her arms around him. "They told me you were dead, that the building took a direct hit."_

_"Takes more than a few mortars to do me in," he replied cheerfully._

_She let go of him, looking him over, taking inventory of the torn fatigues, the soot and grime that covered almost every inch of him. "You're bleeding." She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, pressing it against the wound on his cheek._

_"I'm fine," he reassured her. He took the square of linen from her, folding it over and wiping the soot from his eyes._

_"It's a miracle." She brushed at the tears that were streaking her cheeks._

_He winked. "More like HYDRA. There was a secret passage under the lab, used it to get out just before the explosion." He reached into the inner pocket of his coat. "And I found this as I was leaving," he said, pulling a bottle of brandy out. "Thought we could sit on the beach and share it."_

_"The enemy has excellent taste in booze, I'll grant you that." She took a deep breath. "You're really okay?"_

_"Would I lie to you?"_

_She just raised an eyebrow in response and he grinned. "You don't get to die on me, Nicholas, that's the deal, remember?"_

_"Hell, no; who would watch your back if I bought it? Without me around, you'd run off halfcocked every mission that came your way. I'm the cautious one, after all…."_

"Charlotte, drink this," Bruce's insistent voice buzzed at her ear, pulling her away from memories of the past. "Electrolytes." He pressed the glass into her hand. "I said you'd lost too much blood." Obediently, she drained the glass, Bruce taking it from her numb fingers when she was done.

"Who will watch your back?" she whispered, remembering her words to him just a few weeks prior. "Oh, Nicholas." The tears began to fall, and Tony was there, sitting next to her, holding her in his arms, her body wracked with sobs..

"I'm sorry, Birdie, so sorry," he repeated over and over.

"I know." She nodded against his chest. She let him hold her for a few minutes longer, before gently pulling away. Taking several deep breaths, she fought to compose herself. There would be time for sorrow later. Now though…now, she had a friend to avenge.

====================O====================

**Secret SHIELD Facility, somewhere in Virginia**

Methos collapsed into a chair next to Fury's bed, scrubbing at his face. He was past exhausted, but there was no time for sleep. _No rest for the wicked, old man._ he said to himself. 

"What's the prognosis, Doctor Adamson?" Hill asked, standing at the foot of the hospital bed. 

"I've finished stitching him up, the compound we used to slow his respiration is wearing off, and sleeping beauty should be awake in a few hours," Methos told her with a tired smile.

"Good work, Doctor."

"That's what you pay me for." He looked at the SHIELD Deputy Director enquiringly. "Just what the hell is going on, Maria?"

Shaking her head, she sank down into the chair next to him. "I don't know, Methos. Nick called me yesterday, telling me to go deep shadow, but he never had a chance to tell me why."

"I guess we'll get answers when he wakes up."

"I guess we will." She looked at her boss, lying deathly still on the bed. "He shouldn't be alive, should he?"

"Not a bit of it. You can thank the Infinity Formula for that miracle. Without it, he'd have never survived the damage that was done to his body." He stretched out his long legs, leaning back in the chair. "He's not out of the woods yet, though. I'll be relieved when he comes out of it." 

"Me too." She looked over at Methos, who had a faraway look on his face. "What are you thinking about?"

"What Charlotte must be feeling right now. How much I wish I could have spared her this."

"I don't know, aren't you used to it? Immortals, I mean. We grow old and die and you go on." She shrugged. 

"There's a difference between a life lived in full, and one cut down before their time, Maria. Your lives are already so short. And as for Charlotte, she's lost more than her fair share of loved ones to violence."

Nodding, she said, "I suppose I can see that." She yawned. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "No, get some sleep, doctor's orders. I'll wake you if there's any change."

"Okay, sleep would be good." She closed her eyes.

As she drifted off, Methos stood, walking to Nick's bedside, remembering a Christmas morning not so long ago, when he'd made the pitch to get Methos to join up, to be a doctor again. The promise of knowledge and an ironclad identity had been more temptation that Methos had been able to resist. "Just what have you gotten us into?" he asked the comatose man. Because whatever it was, Methos was sure that nothing would be the same once it was over.

====================O====================


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this next part took so long, but RL has been a bitch these last few weeks. Thanks for sticking with it :)

Charlotte picked up the framed photo from her desk. It had been a gift from Nick, a moment in time, captured by the camera lens: Ezra, Molly Tanner, Nick, and herself, looked up, smiling, from the photograph. It had been the autumn of 1944, and they'd just finished a mission. Their team had been granted three days leave in liberated Paris; it had been quite the few days. 

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Jacob Tanimura asked, coming into her study. 

"Yes, fine, just remembering." She put the frame back on the desk. 

The former Marine, now her executive assistant and student, looked thoughtful, sitting down in the chair in front of the desk. "It's hard, losing a buddy, someone you fought side by side with." 

She nodded. "And it doesn't get easier, no matter how many centuries pass, Jacob."

"I don't suppose we'd want it to," the young Immortal replied. 

"No." She glanced at the wartime photo, then over at Jacob. "No, I don't suppose we would."

Her desk phone began to ring, and Jacob picked up the handset, answering it. "I'll see if she's in," he said to whoever it was on the other end. Putting the caller on hold, Jacob said, "It's Agent Sitwell of SHIELD. Do you want to talk to him?"

Sighing, she shook her head. "No, but there's no use putting it off—put him on speaker." It had only been a matter of time before she was contacted officially. 

He hit the hold button. "Miss Sparrow will speak to you now," he said, placing the handset back in the cradle as he switched over to speaker.

"Agent Sitwell, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"Thank you for taking my call, ma'am. Secretary Pierce wanted me to pass on his condolences. He knew how close you and the Director were."

"Thank you, Jasper. Please let him know that I appreciate it." She sat back in her chair. "But I'm sure that's not the only reason you're calling, is it?"

"No, ma'am, it isn’t. I have some disturbing news, and I'm sorry to have to be the bearer of it on a day when you've already had more than enough to deal with."

"What is it?"

"Has Captain Rogers contacted you at all in the last 24 hours?"

"No, he hasn't. Why?"

"He's a fugitive, ma'am. He was somehow involved with Director Fury's death, but refused to cooperate, to share what he knows. He took out a whole team to escape custody."

Charlotte shook her head. What was he saying? Had the whole damn world gone crazy? "Captain America? _That_ Steve Rogers? Are you seriously trying to tell me he was involved?" 

"I'm sorry to say, yes, we think so. Secretary Pierce is concerned he might try to contact you, involve you in whatever he's doing."

"While Alexander's concern is touching, I'm not sure why he'd think that Captain Rogers would contact me."

"Your relationship with Fury, the fact that all of you were members of the SSR, veterans of World War II, your mutual friendship with Peggy Carter. Rogers might think you'd be sympathetic to whatever it is he's caught up in."

"I find that highly unlikely, Agent Sitwell, but if Steve does try to make contact, I'll inform you, of course."

"We'd appreciate that, ma'am. And just to be safe, we're assigning a few agents to you."

"That isn't necessary. Whatever you think Captain Rogers may or may not have done, I can take care of myself."

"Understood, ma'am, but Secretary Pierce insists on this point."

Sighing, Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Very well, Agent Sitwell, if you think it best."

"Thank you, ma'am, for your cooperation." The line clicked, replaced by a dial tone. 

"Cooperation, my ass," she muttered under her breath, glaring at the phone. "Jarvis," she called to the AI, "where's Tony?"

"Still in the laboratory, madam," he responded with his usual dry politeness.

"You heard, I assume?" 

"Indeed, madam."

"Then you know we're expecting visitors. Make sure they feel welcome," she instructed. 

"I shall make certain that they become quite familiar with the lobby, madam."

"Knew I could count on you, Jarvis." Then to Jacob, she said, "Clear my schedule. We're taking the day off, maybe the next few days."

"But you told Agent Sitwell—"

"Exactly what he wanted to hear." She let out a sharp breath. "If anyone could possibly think that Steve Rogers is a traitor, and actually expect me to believe it? No, there's something going on, Jacob. Nicholas' death, Steve a fugitive—it's all connected. And I intend to get to the bottom of it."

====================O====================

Charlotte made her way down to the R & D floor, and Tony's personal lab, her mind running in circles. Nicholas had told her that something was wrong, that he was looking into it. Had that been what got him killed? Adding to her worry, she hadn't heard from Methos in over 48 hours. She knew that if it were at all possible, he would have made contact. In the pocket of her sweater, she fidgeted with the Asgardian focusing gem, like it was a worry stone. She found it strangely calming.

Tony met her at the door. "Jarvis filled me in. Rogers, a fugitive? Did all of SHIELD fall down the rabbit hole?"

"Something's very wrong, Tony," she said, following him into the lab. "I need to get out of Dodge before those agents latch onto me."

"Sure thing. We'll take the chopper, go wherever you need to."

"We?" she raised an eyebrow.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Duh; like I'm letting you go snooping around alone."

She thought about objecting, all the reasons Tony should stay out of it, but in the end, she was forced to admit that she'd like the company. "I suppose it is Avengers business, right?"

"Right." He reached out, brushing his palm down her hair. "And you need someone to watch your back. Whoever it is that's responsible for killing Fury probably knows about Immortals; knows how to keep you dead."

"I've been trying not to think about that, but yeah, you're right."

Tony slapped his hand against his chest. "Can I get that in writing? Because I'm pretty sure I'll never hear those words again." His eyes danced with laughter.

"Sure, I'll even get it notarized. How's that?" she shot back with a grin. 

"We'll get Tanimura to take care of it right now," he said, jerking his chin towards the door behind her. 

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Jacob entering the room, accompanied by several other Stark staffers. She recognized her receptionist, Erica, Madsen, who worked in accounting, and Pepper's event coordinator, Michael. A chill settled over her and she went to reach for the sword she didn't have. Instinctively, she moved to stand in front of Tony.

"Jacob?" The question hung in the air between them. 

Tony picked up on her tension, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Want to fill me in, Birdie?" 

"I was hoping Jacob might," she replied softly.

Jacob moved farther into the room, those accompanying him fanning out beside him, drawing weapons and training them on Charlotte and Tony. "You're needed, ma'am. Needed to finish what you started seventy years ago."

"What I started? What are you talking about?"

He didn't answer, continuing, "And this time, we'll have the research you've been doing here, Project Tortuga. Your experiences with Loki, your manipulation of powers we need to bring order to the planet."

Her blood ran cold, memories of the past rising up to choke her. "I have no powers. _We_ have no powers." She waved a hand at him. "More lies told by Loki. We're merely Immortal, Jacob, nothing more." 

"Don't lie to me, Charlotte! Immortals; we are miracles, can't you see that? How many centuries will you spend, content to live amongst them, as one of them? When you are capable of so much more?" 

"We may be Immortal, Jacob, but they aren't," she said, pointing at the others. "What's in it for them, helping you?"

"You think this is about me?"

"Yeah, we do," Tony said. "Standard villain boilerplate: I'm special, look at me; I'm going to rule the world. Blah blah blah." 

"For a genius, Mr. Stark, you have a troubling lack of vision," Jacob pointed out lightly. 

"Whatever, Tanimura. Just tell us what the hell it is you want, and let's get on with it okay?" 

"This isn't what about what I want. Mr. Stark, it's about what the world needs, what we will bring them. Order from disorder, and the peace that comes from the freedom of knowing that those who rule know what's best for humanity. The old order shall be swept away, and she's going to help us accomplish it." 

Tony snorted. "Like I said, boilerplate. You sure know how to pick them, Birdie," he said under his breath. 

Jacob's words dragged her back in time, to a place she had consigned to nightmares. Pulling herself away from the past with every ounce of will she had, smothering the fear, she looked at Jacob, the young Immortal who had been her student, and she had thought, her friend. "He's HYDRA, Tony, Jacob is HYDRA."

====================O====================

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel really bad about Jacob. I do! I didn't even know he was HYDRA till I started writing this. And once the idea had planted itself, it was just too perfect not to use. If it's any consolation, he's still a good guy in my other universe.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part feels like I'm finally weaving together some of the threads from prior stories regarding Immortals and their part in the MCU tapestry. In the tag of Winter Soldier, von Strucker talks about an 'age of miracles', and I definitely think Immortals are a part of that. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this next part. I angsted over the Hulk bits, but hopefully, I didn't totally blow it in regards to his character. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

"What do you mean, HYDRA?" Tony demanded. "You're beginning to sound like Dad did in his journal."

"I know how it sounds, Tony, but I'm right." She looked at Jacob expectantly. "Aren't I?"

Shrugging, he replied, "You always have been quick to figure things out, ma'am."

"But not quick enough to realize you were a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"No, but that was the plan." He waved at his companions. "What better way to gain access to a secure building than to have passed the security check?" 

"We're so adding polygraphs to the interview process," Tony muttered.

"Unfortunately for you, Mr. Stark, that's too little, too late." 

"So all if it was a lie? Just to get Birdie to accept you as a student? End up on the SI payroll?"

"Not all of it. I didn't know I'd been killed by the IED, that I was Immortal; that part was true. So was my meeting with Istvaeone. Except it wasn't chance—he was my contact within Ten Rings." Behind him, event coordinator Michael said something unheard into his Bluetooth. "They've been useful for sowing chaos," he added. "I tried to recruit him into HYDRA, but he was old fashioned, didn't see the potential of what we were trying to accomplish."

"I don't understand, Jacob. You were a Marine, a patriot. How does a man like that betray everything he should hold dear?" she asked, trying to fathom how she could have been so thoroughly fooled. 

"The time I spent in Afghanistan, seeing good men die because the United States wouldn't commit fully to winning when we had the capacity to crush the enemy. That was the turning point. I knew nothing was ever going to change so long as the status quo was maintained. A SHIELD agent who'd been assigned to my squad approached me. He understood, been where I was and had seen the future."

Responding with a bark of laughter, she asked, "So you thought the best way for you to protest American foreign policy was to become a Nazi?" 

"We are not Nazis!" he protested. 

"Did they skip that part during junior baddie orientation?" Tony queried, rolling his eyes. 

"I had a front row seat seventy-five years ago, Jacob; HYDRA, Nazis, all cut from the same cloth." She chopped her hand in the air for emphasis. 

"The Nazis were to be swept aside once they'd served their purpose," Jacob insisted.

"Their purpose? Like the Holocaust? That sort of purpose?" She made a noise of disbelief. "You are a delusional fool, Jacob." 

"I'm not the one who's a prisoner," he retorted. 

"He kinda has a point there, Birdie. I'm just saying." Tony shrugged when she shot him a look. 

"A whole lot can happen between being held at gunpoint and you delivering us to your evil overlords," she pointed out with an unfriendly smile. "You didn't plan for this little kidnapping plot to take place just now, did you? Plenty of opportunity for some of that chaos you seem so fond of."

"Your decision to ditch your minders to investigate Fury's death did accelerate our plan," he conceded. "But the outcome, if not the means, will be the same."

Jacob had said a SHIELD agent in Afghanistan had recruited him. Just how deep did HYDRA's infiltration go? The possibilities made her feel ill. "The agents Sitwell is sending, they're HYDRA, just like you, aren't they?" Which meant Sitwell was. How many others? This was why Nicholas had been murdered, of that she had no doubt, not anymore. He'd got too close, he may have even realized before they gunned him down. 

He nodded. "I think you're beginning to appreciate the scope of our objectives. This is bigger than you or me; this is about changing the destiny of the human race. You'll see."

"I've heard it all before." She dismissed his plans for world domination with a flick of her fingers. "I think you'll find that trying to bend humanity to your will won't work out the way you planned." 

Madsen from accounting said, "She's stalling."

"Yes, she is," Jacob agreed.

"Me? I'm who's stalling? It isn't me who's boring us to tears with the obligatory villain soliloquy now is it?"

"Score one for Birdie," Tony said glibly. 

"That is enough! You are coming with us," he said to Charlotte. "The Baron is impatiently awaiting your arrival." He waved his gun at them. "Now, both of you move."

Charlotte held her ground. If she could delay long enough, maybe someone would notice something was wrong. They had to have taken out Jarvis, or security would have been here by now—unless they were HYDRA too. "I'm not going to make it easy for you, Jacob. You're going to have to shoot me to get me out of the building." Let them carry her dead body out, but she wouldn't willingly put herself back into the clutches of HYDRA. 

"No, I'm going to have to shoot him," Jacob said calmly, pulling the trigger, the bullet ripping through Tony's shoulder.

"No!" she screamed, clutching Tony as he collapsed against her, gasping in shock and pain.

"That was just a warning, Charlotte, so you realize what's at stake," he said as Charlotte lowered Tony to the floor, pressing her palm against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. "The next bullet will do a lot more damage, and the one after that. While Mr. Stark would be a nice bonus, you're the one we want, so don't think I won't kill him if necessary."

She grabbed a lab coat that was draped over the chair next to her, folding it several times before pressing it against the bullet hole in his shoulder. "Tony, I'm so sorry."

"Don't do it, Birdie—" Tony groaned "—don't let them use me to control you. I know what they did to you the last time. Can't let them do it again." 

She lowered her head, brushing her lips against his. "I can't risk you, Tony."

"Birdie—" 

She looked up at Jacob. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt him anymore."

It turned out someone had noticed. "Is Jarvis down?" Bruce Banner called out as he entered the lab. "I've been trying to get a hold of both you. I have. an. idea…." He trailed off, taking in the scene before him.

"Over there with the others, Dr. Banner." Erica motioned the unexpected arrival with her free hand.

"And let's keep calm, shall we?" Jacob said. "Your friend's life depends upon it."

"Tony's been shot, Bruce." Charlotte looked at him entreatingly. "He needs your help," she said, emphasizing the 'your'. She grasped his forearm as he knelt beside her and Tony, and felt a wave of energy wash over her. She knew the other guy, the Hulk, was just under the surface. She squeezed Bruce's arm, holding his gaze. _Please let Bruce handle this, please. They'll kill Tony if you appear_ , she thought, willing the words to be heard. She and Methos had realized some time ago that they could sense Hulk, almost like another Immortal, when they were with Bruce. What Charlotte didn't know was if he could sense _them_. She prayed to God he could.

Bruce took a shuddering breath, blinking rapidly, the sheen of sweat on his brow. "Hold it together," Tony said in a cracked whisper. "Think about the big bag of weed." 

Nodding, Bruce took Charlotte's place, pressing down on the makeshift pressure bandage. "I need to stop the bleeding," he said in a strangled voice. 

Charlotte reflexively shoved her bloody hand into her sweater pocket, grasping the Asgardian focus gem. She almost let go as she felt a pulse of heat shoot up her arm and into her heart. Still with her other hand on Bruce's arm, she locked eyes with him, knowing that somehow, he had felt it too. 

"Time to go." Jacob leaned down, seizing Charlotte's arm, dragging her away from Bruce. 

The heat from the stone became more like lightning, and the sensation coursed through her body, igniting every nerve and every sense. It was something she'd felt before, but only at the death of another Immortal. Without conscious thought, she pulled her hand from her pocket, holding the gem, its lavender depths now the deepest purple. As Jacob hauled her to her feet, she pushed back, both mentally and physically, the sensation of lightning becoming quite real as she slammed Jacob into the wall behind. He crumpled lifeless to the floor, the shockwave driving the other HYDRA operatives to their knees. 

A roar shook the room with a terrible ferocity, as Bruce was no longer able to resist the coming of the Hulk. Jacob's accomplices struggled to their feet, only to be smashed like bowling pins, the Hulk tossing them against the same wall as Jacob, like so many broken dolls. 

The electrostatic discharge coiled around her and through her, as if a Quickening after a duel, except it was her Quickening, not that of a slain opponent's. The air crackled with ozone, and Charlotte looked down at her hands, then over at Jacob. What had she done? The enormity of it frightened her. Loki had been right. A part of her almost wished he still lived so he could tell her what it meant; tell her what she was. 

There was another roar, but not as before, this time it seemed almost a question. She looked up, the Hulk towering over her. She remembered Methos giving him a name: Kermit. How appalled Bruce had been. She reached up, touching his hand, her Quickening in harmony with the energy that flowed through him, that caused him to be. She wondered if this was what Methos had felt when Loki had used his staff to channel Methos' Quickening when he was Loki's captive. 

The Hulk's huge hands came around her waist, lifting her up to meet his gaze, searching her eyes. Reaching out, she touched his cheek with her fingertips. "You aren’t alone," she said softly. "But Tony needs Bruce right now. Only Bruce can help him. I know you understand, don't you?"

He made a noise, as if he was humming. Then he set her down gently, one massive hand stroking her head like she were a kitten. Reaching up, she twined her hand around one of his fingers. "I'll take care of Bruce, I promise." There was more humming before he turned away. Charlotte spared one last look before running to Tony's side.

"Are you okay?" she asked, worried that some of the energy discharged had hit him. 

"Yeah, sure." He attempted to wave his hand, but only managed to wiggle a few fingers. "That Emperor Palpatine thing you did? Really awesome, Birdie. Remind me not to tick you off ever again."

====================O====================

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Kermit' and the ability of Immortals to sense the Hulk are referenced in 'Rainbow Connection', and Jacob's back-story during his introduction in 'Transformative Variations'. Both stories are archived here on AO3.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long space of time it has taken for this next part. I found out about the death of one of my best friends just after posting the last part, and haven't felt much like writing since, especially this story. But I have managed to put together another chapter, finally. I'll try and write the next parts a bit speedier.

"We've got to get out of here, get you to a doctor," Charlotte said, once more pressing down on the bullet hole in Tony's shoulder. "I need to find Methos." She wouldn't let herself dwell on the possibility he might also be dead. "We need to get Pepper to safety. She's still in Paris, right?"

Paling, Tony nodded. "You don't think…."

"I'm not taking anything at face value, Tony. The only person I trust who's with her right now is Happy." She waved behind her, at the bodies littering the floor. "SI has been infiltrated. It's not just them, no way." 

"You have a plan, Charlotte?" Bruce asked, crouching down next to Tony. "I found a first aid kit. I can get you patched up enough to move you out safely."

She gave Bruce a once over. He was pale, and a little unsteady, but she only saw _him_ in his eyes. Nodding, she replied, "It doesn't quite qualify as a plan yet, but I have a place to start." Letting Bruce take over with Tony, she got to her feet, and started checking the fallen HYDRA agents. They were all dead. Pausing over Jacob's body, she shook her head. "I have no idea if this is a permanent state of affairs."

"There's one way to make sure," Tony pointed out.

She shook her head. "I can't afford the effects of a Quickening, and we don't want to draw any more attention here than we have to. Those agents Sitwell was sending will be here any time now."

"Then what?" Tony gasped a little in pain as Bruce worked on him. 

"We lock him up in the vault, where we kept Loki before Thor took him back to Asgard." 

"So if he's dead, no problem, and if he isn't…." Tony trailed off.

"If he isn't? Then he'll have some quality time with no food or water to contemplate the error of his ways," Charlotte finished, her eyes cold.

====================O====================

With Bruce's help, Charlotte had dragged Jacob's body into the vault. The last time she'd been in this room was when Loki had been secured here after the Chitauri invasion. She had insisted on confronting her captor that night, having questions she was determined that Loki would answer.

_"Foolish little Immortal, do you think this is the end? It is the beginning, for you, for your race, for us. We will find one another again soon enough, you have my word."_

Wrapping he arms around herself, she shivered, closing her eyes, hearing Loki's voice in her head, as if he were in the room with her still.

"Loki's dead, Charlotte." Bruce squeezed her shoulder. "He can't hurt you anymore."

"You're right, I know." She said the words, but in her heart, she didn't believe them. However, that didn't matter now. She looked down at Jacob's body. "Let's lock it down, Jarvis," she said as she and Bruce left the vault. 

"Beginning quarantine procedures now," Jarvis replied. The AI had come back online, telling them that Jacob had used a device to disable him and other security measures in place. The same blast of energy that had killed the young Immortal had also destroyed the device. The vault door thudded shut, the hiss of the airlock engaging, as the room was made secure.

====================O====================

They rejoined Tony in the R&D lab; he was pale, but was holding his own. "Taken care of?"

"Yeah," Charlotte said, Bruce nodding. "Now we have Jarvis again, we can make some real plans. First, we need to get out of the building."

"Chopper's still the best bet," Tony said.

"And who is going to fly it? We can't be sure the pilot isn't HYDRA," she pointed out.

"I shall take over piloting duties," Jarvis's voice issued from above them.

Charlotte looked doubtful. "Hey, if J can pilot the armour, he can fly a chopper, right?" Tony said confidently. 

"It's not like we have many choices, so okay, Jarvis flies us out of here. Can you walk?" she asked Tony.

"Sure, with a little help." Tony put a brave face on it as she and Bruce got him to his feet. "Jarvis, clear the way."

As remarkable as it seemed, Jacob's crew had been so efficient that no one seemed aware of what had transpired over the last hour. Had it really only been an hour? Soon, they were on the roof, the propellers beginning to turn. They got Tony settled in, putting a headset on him, and then themselves. As the chopper lifted into the air, Charlotte gave the AI coordinates that Nick Fury had provided her with more than ten years earlier. If anything qualified as 'worst case scenario' this was it. 

"Where we going, Birdie?" Tony's voice was weak, and she flashed a look of concern at Bruce. 

"I don't know," she said honestly. "Nicholas told me, when he arranged for me to be Charlotte Sparrow once more, that if I ever found myself in a situation that was dire, I could find refuge."

"What about Pepper?"

She nodded. "Now we have Jarvis back, we can make sure communications are secure." She took Tony's hand in hers, surreptitiously feeling for his pulse. 

"Not dead yet, Birdie," Tony told her with a tired grin.

"Of course not, don't be silly," she said, holding his hand in a tight grip. "Jarvis, I need to speak to Pepper."

It took a few minutes, but finally, Charlotte heard Pepper's voice in her ear. "Virginia, I need you to listen to me, no questions. You must only share this with Happy, do you understand?" 

_"Where's Tony?"_ Pepper demanded.

"I'm here. Do what Birdie says, it's important. There's not much time." 

_"Tony…"_

"You need to do this, Pep," Tony insisted.

_"Tell me."_

Charlotte gave Pepper an address outside of Paris. "Go there, with Happy. Use whatever excuse you need to get away from your staff, do you understand? Maude will meet you, and get you to Ezra and Amanda. Do whatever they tell you, and we'll be in contact as soon as we can." There was no response. "Virginia, do you understand?" 

_"I understand. Charlotte, take care of Tony, promise."_

"With my life, you know that."

_"I love you."_

Tony swallowed. "Love you back, Pep." The line went dead.

"She'll be fine," Charlotte assured him. Jarvis was already connecting her with Ezra.

====================O====================

Jarvis had set the chopper down in an empty field, a few hundred yards from the coordinates Fury had given Charlotte a decade before. It didn't look like much of a bolthole.

"Maybe the gophers have laser rifles," Tony snarked. 

"I wouldn't put it past Nicholas." She flashed a smile at Tony.

"What now?" Bruce asked. 

"I go find what we're looking for; you get Tony out and settled so Jarvis can move the chopper away from here. It sticks out like a sore thumb to anyone looking."

"But what if you can't find it? It's been more than ten years since Fury gave you the coordinates—how do you even know it's here anymore?" Bruce demanded. 

"Because I trust Nicholas," she said simply.

Bruce scratched at his head distractedly, looking at Tony, who just shrugged. "You heard the lady. Jarvis, once we're clear, get the chopper out of here." Tony brushed his hand over Charlotte's. "Go do what you need to." 

Nodding, Charlotte climbed out of the cockpit walking towards her destination. Holding out her 'Jarvis phone', she asked, "Any thoughts?"

"There are the remains of a small structure at approximately the same place as Director Fury's coordinates," Jarvis's voice emanated from the speaker. 

It took only a few minutes for her to reach what appeared to be the ruins of an old stone house. Behind her, she heard the sounds of chopper blades whirring as it lifted into the air. "All right then, Nicholas, just where is the secret door?" she muttered.

"There is a faint energy signature coming from under the floor, approximately ten feet to your right, madam."

Reaching the spot Jarvis indicated, she saw a root cellar door in the remains of what had once been the kitchen floor. "Now what?"

"Voice recognition confirmed," a disembodied female voice said. Charlotte jumped despite herself. "Welcome, Agent Sparrow."

"Consultant," she shot back. Even from death, Nicholas was messing with her. "I need medical assistance immediately—Tony Stark has been shot."

"Please stand clear," the voice instructed, as the cellar door began to rise from the floor, becoming an elevator as it climbed above Charlotte's head. She hadn't been expecting a literal secret door. But the surprises weren’t over with yet, the elevator door sliding open to reveal its occupant.

"Methos?" Charlotte said in disbelief, as he gathered her in his arms. She held him tight for just a moment, before pushing away. "Tony's hurt; we need to get him to safety."

"What's happened? How did Stark get himself shot? What are you doing here? What the hell is going on?" Methos rapped out questions as he followed Charlotte back to Bruce and Tony. 

"HYDRA is what's going on, but I'll explain everything once we're in a secure location."

====================O====================


End file.
